“Thickening and brittleness of toenails may also occur with heart disease.”, he said.

What is peripheral arterial disease?

According to The NHS, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease, is what happens when fatty deposits in the arteries restrict blood supply to your leg muscles.

The NHS site says: “Many people with PAD have no symptoms. However, some develop a painful ache in their legs when they walk, which usually disappears after a few minutes’ rest. The medical term for this is ‘intermittent claudication’.

“The pain can range from mild to severe, and usually goes away after a few minutes when you rest your legs. Both legs are often affected at the same time, although the pain may be worse in one leg.”

Other symptoms to be mindful of are tingling, burning, dry skin, pain, cracked skin, and blisters or sores that don’t heal.

Also, you need to be aware of fungal infections and athlete’s foot, as they can also point towards something serious.

Sorry if you’re eating – but make sure to keep an eye out for thick yellow nails too.

They can all point to heart issues, or diabetes.

What other symptoms should you look out for?

Other symptoms you should be aware are chest pains, heart palpitations or shortness of breath.

For diabetes, you might feel tired all of the time, have unexplained weight loss, or feel particularly sleepy after eating your meals.

It’s high time you should put embarrassment to one side and get used to properly checking your feet.